The Legend of the Lost Sky Prince
by Pir8grl
Summary: A Captain Canary mythology AU.
1. Chapter 1

There was great rejoicing in the palace of the Sky King. The queen had given birth to a son and heir - a beautiful baby boy with the most astonishing blue eyes. They named him Leo. He'd already demonstrated that he'd inherited his father's command over the elements of the sky, moving clouds about with a wave of his chubby little hands, and forming rainbows in his nursery.

But there was one person who did not join in the universal celebration. The king's brother, Malcolm, King of the Underworld, was heartily displeased at being displaced from the line of succession. He dispatched a pair of imps to dispose of the boy, but they managed to botch their assignment. The child lived, but with his god-like powers badly diminished. All that remained was a tenuous command over the cold.

Anxious to avoid their master's wrath, the imps abandoned Leo on Earth, where he was discovered by a thief named Lewis. At first, Lewis used the child as a prop to gain sympathy - and access to wealthy homes - the better to rob them. As Leo grew, Lewis began to look upon his powers as a means to staging bigger and better thefts.

The Sky King and his queen could only watch from afar, heartbroken.

* * *

 _ **Many years later…**_

"This is wrong, father," Leo whispered, as they snuck into the temple in the dead of night.

"Fat, rich, priests, or fat, rich, merchants - it's all the same."

"This isn't robbing from rich men, father. These offerings are left by regular people, to please the Sky King, and ensure a safe birth or a good harvest."

"There ain't no such thing as a Sky King. Now, freeze that lock, or I'll burn them books of yours. I know where you hide them, boy."

Leo frowned, but he concentrated, then laid his hand upon the lock and froze it. He was mildly surprised that it worked. Oft times, he either couldn't channel the cold at all, or else he'd freeze an entire stream in its bed. Hitting a small target was pure chance.

"Well, at least you're good for something," Lewis muttered, looking around at the offerings piled in the temple, trying to decide what would fetch a good price in the market.

"Hello?" a voice called out.

Lewis spat out a curse.

Leo recognized the voice. It was Brother Bartholomew, a kind-hearted young acolyte, often seen about town, distributing food and medicine. More than once, he'd seen to it that Leo had food in his belly when Lewis had drunk up all their meager savings.

"Leo! Whatever are you doing here?" The young man's gaze took in the pry bar in Lewis's hand and the large sack he had slung over his shoulder. His eyes widened in sudden understanding - and fear.

"Get rid of him," Lewis hissed.

"No."

"Do as I say, boy!"

"I'm not a boy, and I'm not going to let you hurt him!"

Lewis strode toward Bartholomew menacingly, brandishing his heavy bar. Leo stepped between the two.

"No, father!" he raised his hand to ward off the blow - and a stream of ice erupted from his hands, freezing Lewis instantly.

Leo stared at his hands in horror and skittered away from what was left of his father. He backed into a table filled with offerings, and a heavy pewter pitcher wobbled and fell, landing on the marble floor with a loud crash. The sound shattered Lewis's frozen form into miniscule shards of ice.

"How did you _**do**_ that?" Bartholomew gasped.

Suddenly, the interior of the temple was filled with a golden glow, which emanated from the enormous statue of the Sky King. "I'll handle this, Bartholomew. You may go now."

The young man bowed hastily to the statue. "Er - yes, of course, your majesty!"

"Who are you?" Leo stammered.

"Who d'you think, lad?" the voice asked jovially. "It is my temple, after all."

"You…you mean… _ **you're**_ the Sky King?" Leo gulped, wondering what his fate would be for shedding blood in the temple of a god who evidently was quite real.

"That I am. But the real question is - who are you?"

"Me? I'm -"

Lewis's voice sounded in his memory, taunting him.

"I'm nothing. Just a common -"

The voice laughed, a hearty rich sound. "My boy, you are the farthest thing from nothing. Why - you're my son!"

"Your son. But wouldn't that make me -"

"A god. Well, that's how things were meant to be, until you were stolen from us."

"I don't understand. Didn't you want me? Why would you give me to someone like Lewis?"

"Of course we wanted you, Leo! As I said, you were stolen from us."

"How come you never came to get me?"

"It's not that simple, I'm afraid. You see, the Palace of the Sky is for immortals, and your immortality was stolen from you."

"So…I can't ever go home?"

"Never is a long time, my boy. You just need to earn your way back to us."

"How do I do that?"

"Well, you start by becoming a true hero."

Leo snickered derisively. "Hero ain't on my resume."

"It is if you want to come home," the Sky King informed him in a severe tone.

"I wouldn't even know where to start," Leo confessed. "It's not like I had any great example to look up to."

"The power to change your fate lies within you, Leo. Talk to Bartholomew. He'll set you on the right path. Never forget that your mother and I love you very much, and we miss you."

And with that, the golden glow faded from the chamber.

Leo huffed out a breath he didn't eve realize he'd been holding. Then he shook his head, and went to find Bartholomew.

* * *

As Leo expected, Bartholomew was standing outside the chamber. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough. I knew there was more to you than just a common thief!" the younger man exclaimed enthusiastically.

Leo favored him with a sour smile. "How the hell am I supposed to become a true hero?"

"You're a very clever man. You see details. Just…open your eyes, and follow your heart. You're the son of a god! If anyone can become a hero, it's you. I have faith in you."

* * *

Mick fell into step beside Leo as he walked the path through town at dawn. "Hey, Boss. What's the haul?"

"No haul," Leo replied tersely.

"Where's Lewis?"

"Gone."

"Gone how?"

Leo turned to his friend with flat, dead, eyes.

"Oh." He followed along for several steps in silence. "Where we goin'?"

 _ **"We**_ are not going anywhere. Look, Mick…hell, I don't even know where I'm going. No reason for you to follow."

The bigger man shrugged. "Not like I've got anything better to do. People 'round here look at me funny."

"Probably because you've either robbed most of them or set their houses on fire."

"So we'll find new places to rob and burn."

"No…Mick. I'm not going to steal things any more. I mean…I…uh…"

"Did Lewis hit you in the head?"

"That would make more sense than what really happened." Leo stopped and turned to face his old friend. "Look - long story short - Lewis wanted to rob the temple of the Sky King. I got between him and Bartholomew. Lewis died. The statue of the Sky King came to life and told me I was his son. To get home, I have to become a true hero."

"Huh?"

"Exactly." Leo sighed heavily. "Bartholomew said I needed to follow my heart, whatever the hell that means."

"You got a heart?"

"Shut up, Mick."


	2. Chapter 2

"So, how's this whole hero thing work?" Mick asked, as they wandered the road.

"It means we try to fix things, instead of making them worse. You know - help people."

"If you say so."

They heard a girl's high-pitched scream from a stand of trees up ahead.

"Now that sounds like my kinda party!" Mick said, cracking his knuckles.

Leo shot him a side-wise look.

"Awright. Help. I get it."

They ran towards the sounds of the scuffle. A skinny, dark-haired girl was warding off a burly ruffian with a tree branch. She'd obviously been roughed up a bit. Mick took one look and felled her attacker with a single punch.

"What are you waiting for?" the girl demanded. "Help her!"

Leo looked where the girl was pointing. 'Her' turned out to be the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She was tiny, with blonde hair braided back from her face with blue ribbons. She was dressed in a short, sleeveless tunic that showed off well-muscled limbs. It clung in ways that gave Leo thoughts that would likely get him slapped - or maybe even stabbed, considering that the mystery woman had a formidable dagger in her belt. She was also fending off three assailants with an expertly wielded staff.

"Can I hit some of them?" Mick demanded.

"I wish you would," Leo replied.

They waded into the fray, and soon had all three bad guys laid out on the ground.

"I had that handled!" the blonde snapped.

Leo stepped back and raised his hands. "Hey - we were just trying to help."

"There were four of them, Sara," the other girl added.

"I had it handled." She held out her hand to the younger girl. "Come on."

"You're welcome!" Leo called after them.

Sara's reply did not involve words.

* * *

Mick and Leo followed the sound of music and singing to a roadside tavern and entered in search of dinner. Or in Mick's case, ale. Leo immediately spotted the blonde from their afternoon's adventure seated at a table in the corner. He nudged Mick and sauntered over.

"Oh, look - if it isn't the two heroes of the highway."

"We saw three men picking a fight against -"

She looked up over the rim of her tankard with enough intensity to start a small fire.

"- one person," Leo continued. "We stopped to help. Isn't that what good people are supposed to do?"

"I wouldn't know," Sara replied, knocking back the rest of her drink. "I'm not what most people would consider to be good."

"I don't know…you look pretty good to me," Leo drawled.

Sara simply raised an eyebrow at that. "You're not so bad yourself. Got a name?"

"Leo."

She eyed him speculatively. "Sara. You wanna dance, Leo?"

"You go right ahead. I'll watch."

"Suit yourself."

She moved to the center of the floor, turning and swaying to the music with evident pleasure. Leo would have been content to watch her all night - at least, until some idiot who carried his brains in his biceps decided to annoy her.

"I got this," Sara assured Leo with an easy grin.

And she did, at least until four of the idiot's friends surrounded her at once. "Now I could stand a little help."

Grinning, Leo and Mick joined the mayhem.

* * *

"That was fun!" Sara exclaimed breathlessly as they paused some distance from the tavern - which the owner had pointedly asked them to leave.

"You have an odd idea of fun," Leo replied.

"No, she doesn't," Mick objected.

Leo just rolled his eyes at that.

"You never did tell me how you came to be in that patch of woods today," Sara said.

"Just…seeing where the road takes us," Leo replied, knowing the truth was entirely too strange.

Mick, however, had no such reservations. He'd also had considerably more to drink. He draped an arm around his friend's shoulders. "Leo here just found out he's the son of the Sky King. He hasta prove himself a true hero, in order to go home. Can you believe that?"

"Uh, no. Not really," Sara replied dubiously.

Leo looked to his old friend in exasperation. "Like I said, we're just following the road. Why don't you come with us? You're good in a fight."

"Thanks, but I'm…not a good person to be around."

Well. There wasn't much he could say to that. He grabbed Mick's arm and started them back on the road.

Sara stood alone and watched as they walked away. She hoped they found whatever it was they were looking for at the end of that road. It would have been fun, she thought wistfully. They were both good fighters, and seemed to attract as much trouble as she did. And Leo was remarkably easy on the eyes.

The tiniest whiff of brimstone was all the warning she got. "And how is my favorite assassin tonight?" an oily voice asked.

"I'm not your anything, Malcolm," Sara replied automatically.

"It's King Malcolm, and I have an agreement that says otherwise. Who are your playmates?"

"Just a couple of would-be heroes. A bit crazy, if you ask me. Fellow says he's the son of the Sky King and has to prove himself a true hero in order to go home."

To her surprise, Malcolm grabbed her arm, his expression frighteningly intense. "What is his name?"

"Leo."

To her even greater surprise the King of the Underworld swore extensively and well…sulfurously. Eventually he regained control over his vocabulary.

"He _**is**_ the son of the Sky King, and he is _**supposed**_ to be dead. Decades ago. Good thing I have an excellent assassin in thrall to me."

"No." She pulled her arm from his grasp and started to walk away.

"Sara, must we play this game again? You were always a favorite of mine, because of all the souls you sent me, but that will only get you so far. I saved your lover and your sister from death. For you. The fact that both of them now consider you tainted and evil is not my fault. They are alive, and you are in service to me. For the rest of your natural life. Now run along and kill him the rest of the way, would you? Or would you prefer to be in service to me for - oh, say, all eternity?"


	3. Chapter 3

It didn't come as a total shock to Leo when they found Sara a few days later. She was trapped in a gully with a particularly formidable-looking monster, dodging behind rocks and trees, trying to stay out of its range.

"Well, it was nice knowing her," Mick remarked, "but we can slip past while it's eating her."

Leo shot him a look, and the bigger man heaved a sigh.

"Or we could go down there and try this hero thing."

The two set about trying to make their way down the incline without taking the express route. Of course, the monster chose that moment to demonstrate that it was, in fact, a dragon. Of the fire-breathing variety.

"I love dragons!" Mick exclaimed gleefully.

Leo shot him a sour look as he tried to keep his footing. This hero gig was starting to look a lot less appealing. And then the dragon set fire to the stand of trees Sara was hiding in, and suddenly the whole thing became less about proving himself worthy, or even protecting his own skin, and more about not wanting to see the intriguing blonde incinerated.

He saw the flash of genuine fear in her eyes as he got closer.

"What are you doing here?"

"Saving you. Again." He grabbed Sara's arm and dragged her away from the flames.

"Uh huh. And how do you plan on doing that?"

"I…uh…"

"Come on, Boss!" Mick yelled, "You've always got a plan!"

"I'm working on it!" Leo snapped.

The ground shook as the dragon stomped closer, backing them against the side of the gully. And then it was in front of them, and there was literally no place to go, and Leo raised his hands in front of his face -

\- and ice erupted from them, encasing the dragon completely.

It took a long, long moment for the three to comprehend what had just happened.

"How did you do that?" Sara gasped.

"I don't know, exactly," Leo admitted. "I mean, I've sort of been able to do things like this all my life -"

"I ain't never seen you freeze something so big before," Mick objected. He stooped and thoughtfully picked up a rock, which he lobbed at the frozen dragon, shattering it.

Leo was studying his hands. "I guess, maybe I am the Sky King's son," he said wonderingly.

"How come you never did anything like this before?' Mick demanded.

"I guess…I never needed to. Anytime I froze anything before, it was either an accident, or Lewis goading me to do it."

"What were you thinking when you froze the dragon?" Sara asked curiously.

"Mostly that I didn't want to die," Leo admitted with a shaky laugh. "And…I didn't want you to die, either."

She favored him with an enigmatic little smile, then stretched up and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Sounds pretty damn heroic to me, Leo."

"I'm not a -"

"Yeah…I think you are."

"I kinda liked that dragon," Mick stated mournfully.

"You would," Leo replied sourly, turning to reassure himself that his old friend was okay...although he'd never actually admit that. When he turned back, Sara had disappeared again.

* * *

"Sara. Sara, Sara, Sara…whatever am I going to do with you?" Malcolm sighed dramatically.

"Let me go?" she replied pertly.

"As. If. Now, explain to me why the son of my hated rival still lives?"

"Because the son of the Sky King is more powerful than your stupid dragon?"

"Because my favorite assassin didn't do her job."

"Hey - you saw what he did to that dragon. What makes you think a mere human can defeat him?"

Malcolm eyed her rather suggestively. "Oh, I think a certain mere human is exactly what's needed to defeat him."


	4. Chapter 4

There was a certain endearing charm to watching Leo and his sidekick bungle their way through trying to be heroes, Sara decided. With no good experience to guide him, Leo was acting on instinct. His idea to bring a chunk of ice down out of the mountains to a village whose well had dried up was sound enough in principle. And the mud really was more Mick's fault than his.

And he was a sucker for kids. There was a particularly gentle smile that he reserved for children that quite simply melted Sara's heart. And then there was the way his eyes would light up when he saw her. She'd never had anyone look at her like that.

She loved…being around him. He was a great source of entertainment - there were usually some bad guys who needed sense knocked into them, or the chance for adventure. But she always tried to slip away after the action…before he could turn to her with that warmth in his eyes and smile. She wasn't good for him. She knew that. And her longing for time spent with him - for the times they spent playing dice, or drinking - were making her soft.

Which is perhaps how she failed to notice Mick slipping away into the woods to take care of business one night, after they'd been drinking to celebrate saving a fishing village from a sea serpent.

"You disappoint me, Sara," Malcolm was saying. "Why is dear old Leo still breathing?"

"Lack of opportunity," Sara replied glibly. "You don't really want me to do this in front of an audience, do you?"

"I don't really care how you do it, as long as he ends up dead. I'm on a bit of a time table here. I need my dear nephew out of the way."

Mick blinked blearily and stumbled back to the tavern. He had to find Leo.

Leo was getting a bit irritated by his friend's drunken insistence that he'd seen something nefarious in the woods.

"I'm tellin' you, Boss, it was him, the King of the Underworld." Mick paused, making a sign to ward off the evil eye. "Brimstone and all."

"And I'm telling you - you're drunk."

"But Boss - she's workin' fer him!"

"Sleep it off, Mick."

Leo turned and left the crowded, smoky tavern, in need of some fresh air. Unfortunately, once out in the village square, he was promptly enveloped in a cloud of brimstone. "Seriously?" he muttered, waving a hand in front of his face to clear the air.

"Hello, Leo. I'm your Uncle Malcolm, but you can call me Your Majesty."

Leo stared at the suave, dark-haired figure in his immaculate purple toga. "What?"

"I see intelligence runs in the family. Too bad you got your father's, and not mine. I have a proposal for you. I have a business acquaintance arriving shortly. Let's just say…you and he wouldn't get along well. In the interest of good business, what say you…take a day off? Rest, relax, recover from all this hero-ing you've been doing. What do you say?"

Leo looked at him with blatant suspicion. "I haven't been in the hero business for long, but it seems to me that when someone wants the hero to take a day off, they're up to no good. So - no."

Malcolm stepped forward and wrapped his arm around Leo's shoulder. Leo looked at the offending appendage with disgust.

"Leo, Leo, Leo…you don't mind if I call you Leo, do you?"

"Actually -"

"Like I was saying, Leo, I've got plans. You tend to get in the way. If we can't do this the friendly way, well -"

Malcolm snapped his fingers, and Sara appeared, held (just barely) in the grip of three imps.

"Sara!"

Leo started for her, but was restrained by Malcolm's iron grip on his arm.

"You see how things stand, don't you, Leo? You agree to my proposal, give up your cold powers for the next twenty four hours, and your lovely friend here goes free and unharmed." He paused and heaved a somewhat theatrical sigh. "Cross me, and well…even I can't guarantee her safety."

"Leo, don't!"

One of the imps reached up and clapped a slimy hand across Sara's mouth.

"You swear she'll be safe?" Leo demanded.

"Of course. Twenty four hours, no powers for you, she goes free, and you two can go right back to…whatever it is that you do."

He held out his hand. "Do we have a deal, nephew?"

"I…" Leo looked at Sara, struggling in the imps' grasp. He grasped his uncle's hand. "Deal."

There was a stink of sulphur as the deal was sealed. "Good lad. Twenty fours hours and you're both free. If you survive, that is. Oh, and by the way? Great performance, Sara. I always knew you had it in you."

With that, Malcolm and his minions departed in a whirl of black and green smoke.

Leo stared at Sara in disbelief. "You were working for him all along?"

"Yes - I mean no. I mean…it wasn't like that." She sighed, defeated. "It's a long story."

Leo crossed his arms and glared at her. "Evidently, we've got time. Twenty four hours."

Sara looked up as a meteor blazed across the sky and crashed into a nearby village. "Maybe not as much as we thought. Come on!"

"Did you miss the part about no powers? What exactly am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know! You're smart - you'll figure something out!"

Still, Leo hesitated. Mick was right - he'd been a sucker for a pretty face. What the hell could he do against something that fell from the sky, with no powers to aid him?

"Fine. I'll go myself," Sara declared.


	5. Chapter 5

Leo debated with himself after Sara had vanished into the trees. She didn't have any sort of super powers…never had, but she was going anyway, because that's what heroes did. Whatever had led her to deal with Malcolm, she was still trying to be better. He swore and took off after her.

The 'meteor' that had crashed into the village was anything but inert. It was monster, hulking and grey, with flashes of blue lightning surrounding it. And it moved impossibly fast, demolishing everything in its wake. He knew instinctively that this was Malcolm's 'business acquaintance,' and that his cold powers might have combated it.

Sara was struggling to keep the villagers safe from the thing. Even Mick was trying, but it was simply too fast for them. Leo waded in to try and help, but the creature's speed, combined with the villagers' panic, rendered his efforts useless.

The people had taken shelter in the armory, the sturdiest building in the area. Unfortunately, it was no match for the speedster, who was gleefully dismantling it around them. Mick was struggling to hold up the lintel of the main doorway so Sara could shepherd people out. There was a blur, and a flash of blue lightning, and the building collapsed in a cloud of dust. Mick was thrown clear of the debris, but Sara…

Sara was laying on the ground, beneath the heavy stone door post.

The village was suddenly deathly quiet as the creature sped off towards the temple. Sara lay pale and still beneath the heavy stone. A trickle of blood ran from the corner of her mouth. Leo skidded to his knees beside her.

"I'm sorry," she coughed weakly, tears cutting tracks through the dust on her face. "I didn't mean to…I never wanted…"

"Hush, now," Leo said gently, checking to see if there was any way to lever the heavy stone off of her. He laid his hand carefully on the stone - and it froze. He lost no time grabbing a rock from the ground and using it to shatter the stone that was crushing Sara. She gasped sharply as the weight fell away, but made no move to sit up - a fact that terrified him.

"You have your powers back," Sara whispered.

"The deal - Malcolm swore you wouldn't be hurt."

"Guess his word actually is worth something," she muttered, but her eyes were clouded with pain - and fear.

Mick staggered up and limped over to join them. "She's all busted up inside, Boss," he said grimly, after a long moment's observation.

Leo nodded, and carefully smoothed Sara's hair back from her face.

"I'm sorry," she repeated.

Leo leaned in and pressed his lips to her forehead. "Hey - my father's the Sky King, remember? That's gotta be worth something. We can - "

He broke off at the sounds of screaming and destruction from the direction the creature had gone.

Sara smiled weakly. "Go - be a hero."

"I'll stay with her," Mick said, carefully stretching out his bloody leg.

"I'll be back," Leo promised. He kissed Sara's hand, then gently set it in Mick's. "Hold on, all right? I…I love you."

"Love you, too."

* * *

Leo was not at all surprised to see Bartholomew in the thick of the chaos. The younger man's face was clouded with worry as he tried to move people towards the road out of town, away from the danger.

"Leo!" he cried, smiling with relief.

"Bartholomew, what can you tell me about this…thing?"

"It's called Zoom, because well…"

"Because that's what it does. Got that part."

"You father - that is, your real father - exiled it. I don't know how -"

"The King of the Underworld brought it back somehow. What's it doing, and how do I stop it?"

"It's trying to destroy your father's temple. More specifically, the statue. That statue is your father's gateway to this world. It's how he communicates with his acolytes, and how he uses his powers here on earth."

"And if Zoom destroys it, then Malcolm would be in charge?"

Bartholomew nodded gravely.

"Do you think my powers can stop it?" Leo asked intently.

"It should work. Cold and speed are opposites."

"Good. Do me a favor, would you? Mick and Sara were trying to help the villagers back at the old armory. They're both hurt. Sara…"

"I'll find them," the younger man promised.

* * *

The temple was shaking with the force of Zoom's attack on the statue. Dust rained down on Leo as he considered the situation. The building was coming apart faster than the statue, but it was only a matter of time. He had to get the monster away from there. Leo extended his arms and concentrated on ice.

A stream of ice poured out of his hands at Zoom's feet. Zoom skidded into the wall, demolishing it. The monster scrambled to his feet, snarling. Leo threw up his hands, thinking only of the need to contain the creature. More ice poured out of his hands, encasing Zoom's feet in ice.

The creature howled in frustration, trying to get free. Leo saw the ice start to crack, and poured all of his will into thoughts of even more ice. The ice crept up over Zoom's knees. Leo thought about Sara, hurt and bleeding back in the village, and the ice grew colder, and crept up to the monster's chest, then finally up over its head, encasing it completely.

A warm, golden glow filled the chamber.

"Well done, my boy!" the hearty vice of the Sky King exclaimed.

A sharp crack sounded in the sudden stillness, and the figure in the ice began to blur. Leo promptly added yet another layer of ice to its prison.

The 'statue' reached out one great, stone hand and picked up the ice-encased Zoom. "I'll take care of this."

"How?"

"Like this!" The Sky King lobbed the chunk of ice far out into the sky. "It's very, very cold out among the stars. That should Zoom out of trouble." He smiled fondly at the man before him. "You've done very well, Leo. Your mother will be so pleased to see you!"

"That's…great. Really. But I need to check on my friends - they were hurt fighting Zoom. And there's all those people…"

"Of course, my boy."

* * *

It took a frustratingly long time for Leo to make his way back to Mick and Sara. There were terrified people in need of reassurance, and a few in imminent danger. All of that took precious time. The closer he got to the ruined armory, the faster he walked, until he was flat-out running. And then…

Bartholomew looked up from Sara's still form and shook his head sadly.

Leo dropped to his knees. He took one of Sara's small, cold hands in his. Her hands were calloused from handling weapons, and her grip was always ferociously strong, but now…her fingers lay still in Leo's gentle grasp. He held her hand to his lips, as though his own breath could impart life. Which it couldn't. But an idea was slowly forming.

"Bartholomew, you said my father's temple is his gateway to this world." Leo's voice was cold and detached.

"That's right," the younger man agreed mournfully.

"So Malcolm must also have a gateway."

"Leo, you can't. Even you aren't strong enough to take on the King of the Underworld."

"We'll see about that. Now, how do I find him?"

* * *

The old jewel mine in the woods was reputed to be haunted. The stories were gruesome enough that even Lewis had avoided the place. That didn't stop Leo. He stalked through tunnels littered with the bones of would-be thieves. A couple of imps tried to bar his way into Malcolm's chamber, but he just turned them into ice balls and booted them out of his way.

One of those ice balls rolled to a stop right at Malcolm's feet. He freed the creature with an absent wave of his hand.

"Nephew. How good to see you."

"Give her back to me!"

"Which one? There are so many new acquisitions today."

"We had a deal."

"We did, indeed. Sara's safety for your powers. You have your powers. My deal is intact."

"Your _**deal?"**_

Leo sucked in a deep breath, and pressed his eyes closed, trying to center himself. He needed to be calm, cool, and logical, if he was going to get out of this. He opened his eyes and took a good, long look around. The jewels twinkling from the walls hadn't particularly caught his attention before, but now…

"All those people who broke in here thought they were trying to steal jewels, didn't they? But these aren't jewels they're…they're souls."

Malcolm clapped his hands in a mocking semblance of applause. "I knew you'd figure it out eventually. Now, what's your next move?"

"You like deals? How about this - if I can find Sara's soul, I take it and walk out of here."

"And what would I get out of this little arrangement?"

Leo shrugged slightly. "If I can't find her, you get me instead."

"Oh, Leo…you _**have**_ got it bad!"

"So, is it a deal?" Leo drawled, holding out his hand.

"Hmm…the son of my hated rival, trapped here forever. Oh, I do like that. Deal."

They shook on it, and Leo choked slightly at the cloud of sulphurous smoke that announced the sealing of the deal. He turned away to study the walls of the cavern. He was saddened by the profusion of new 'jewels' appearing in the walls, knowing that they were people killed as a result of Zoom's attack. Some of the jewels glowed softly, looking as if they'd be warm to the touch. Leo had a sense that those were older people, who'd lived good, full lives. Others shown with bright, pure light, and something told him those were children, their little lives snuffed out far too soon.

Here and there were small, dull lumps of what looked to be coal. It didn't take much to figure that those were the likes of Lewis Snart - people who'd been small and mean in life. And there is was - a blue jewel, just the color of Sara's eyes. There were a few flaws in it, but the stone flared brightly as Leo's hand hovered over it. He closed his fingers around the jewel and tried to pull it from the wall.

"Oh," Malcolm remarked in a conversational tone. "Did I mention that the merest touch of the jewels is instant death? Silly me."

Leo went rigid as his hand closed around the stone. He felt himself start to age as a clear stone appeared in the wall next to Sara's. The stone grew bigger as the cavern sucked his life force away. He felt his body start to weaken, and his vision darkened. He wished, more than anything, that he could have saved Sara, that they'd have more time together.

And then a clear, bell-toned note rang out through the cavern. The new stone that had been forming dwindled down to nothing as Leo felt the strength flow back into his limbs. A silvery nimbus seemed to surround him. He easily pulled the blue stone from the wall.

"Ah. I must say, I wasn't anticipating -"

Malcolm's words were cut off as Leo's fist landed a very satisfying blow. He strode quickly out of the cavern, heading back to his friends.

* * *

Mick looked up, shading his eyes as the glowing figure approached. "Boss? Is that you?"

"Yes," Leo replied.

Bartholomew looked up from bandaging Mick's leg. His jaw dropped when he saw the blue jewel in Leo's hands. "Is that -? Did you -?"

"Eloquent as ever. Yes, and yes."

"Do you know how to -?"

Mick rolled his eyes at the spate of abbreviated sentences, but Leo - this new, glowing version of Leo - just seemed to take it all in stride.

"I think so."

He knelt beside Sara's still form and carefully set the blue jewel over her heart. It flared brilliantly, then vanished. Color and warmth flooded back into Sara's body and she gasped, then settled into steady respiration. Her eyes flew open, and she saw Leo gazing at her with such adoration on his features. He gently helped her to sit up, then bent his head and kissed her.

After a few moments, they pulled apart, flushed and breathless.

"I guess I really am one hell of a thief," he quipped.

"No…you're a hero," Sara replied.

"A legend," Bartholomew corrected.

"Whatever," Leo conceded, carefully helping Sara to her feet.

"What he is," a booming voice proclaimed, "is my son!"

Sara let out an undignified squeak of surprise as she and Leo began to rise into the air. Her hands clutched into his tunic and his arms tightened around her automatically.

"Is that -?"

"Yeah, I think it is," Leo agreed as they approached a golden palace, situated on a billowing cloud bank.

Cheering crowds of glowing people and…things…lined the path to the palace. A small, fairy-like creature with a glowing golden nimbus flitted over their heads and sprinkled Leo and Sara with glittering golden dust. In an instant, their battered clothing was replaced with a regal blue toga for Leo, and a stunning silk gown for Sara.

"Welcome home, big brother!" the fairy chirped.

"Brother?"

"Come and meet everyone!" she continued, gripping his hand with typical younger sister enthusiasm, and leading him towards the dais where their parents waited.

 _He looks like he belongs here_ , Sara thought, a bit sadly. She wondered when it would occur to one of these, well…gods…to return her to earth…back to the dirt, where she belonged.

And then she heard Leo's voice, close by, and he was reaching out to take her hand. "…so many people hurt by Zoom. I never thought of myself as a hero, but if that's what I am, well, I can't just leave them. And I _**won't**_ leave Sara."

She lifted her head, not quite daring to believe what she was hearing.

"What do you say, Sara?" Leo asked in a low voice, just for her ears. "Want to help me save the world?"

She nodded, eyes sparkling with warmth and love and just a hint of mischief.

The Sky King nodded magnanimously. "Well chosen, my son."

But Sara and Leo didn't hear him. They were too wrapped up in another kiss.


End file.
